Tape perforator



Aug. 25, 1964 G. SIM ETAL TAPE PERFORATOR 5 She ets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.16, 1962 INVENTORS GORDON SIM ROLF A. THIENE ANN ATTORNEY Aug. 25, 1964G. SIM ETAL TAPE PERFORATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 16, 1962 Q9\\\\\\\\\\\\\KEN mm INVENTORS GORDON SIM ROLF A. THIENEMANN ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,145,921 TAPE PERFQRATOR Gordon Sim, Northbroolr,and Rolf A. Tliienemann, Chicage, lilL, assignors to TeletypeCorporation, Skokie, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 16,1962, Ser. No. 217,458 6 Claims. (til. 234-102) This invention relatesto a tape perforator and more particularly to a novel punch actuatingand restoring mechanism.

The present tape perforator is an accessory to the telegraph pageprinter disclosed in a copending application of W. J. Zenner entitledType Wheel Mechanism for Printing Telegraph Page Printer, Serial No.159,330, filed December 14, 1961. In the page printer described in theaforementioned application, selectively settable code bars arepositioned by a selector mechanism in response to either incomingtelegraph signals or to telegraph signals generated by the localkeyboard. The selectively settable code bars control the positioning ofa rotatable type wheel to place the selected character face on the typewheel in proper position for printing. In the present invention, theselectively settable code bars of the telegraph page printer areattached to code bar extensions in the perforator that control theselection of punches which are then actuated by an extension of a powershaft of the page printer. The present invention relates to the novelpunch actuating and restoring mechanism that is, in the presentembodiment, controlled by code bars and driven by a power shaft of apage printer.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a new andinexpensive perforator attachment for a telegraph page printer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved punchactuating mechanism and punch pin returning mechanism for perforators.

A further object of the invention is to provide a punch actuatingmechanism employing selectively latched power transmitting elements anda punch returning mechanism employing a normally ineffective powerreturn means for the punches.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved punchactuating mechanism wherein normally ineffective latch pawls areselectively coupled to code bar sensing means for actuating punches toperforate a record medium.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supplemental returningmeans for punches that does not require additional elements therefor andthat does not cause wear of the elements constituting the returningmeans until it is functioning to return a punch from its punchingposition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a normally effectiveimpositive punch returning force to return punches from their punchingposition and a normally ineflfective positive punch returning force toreturn only those punches which do not return under the impositive punchreturning force.

A further object of the invention is to bias punches to return fromtheir punch position and to provide a normally ineffective positivepower return mechanism for eifecting the return of the punch when itdoes not return under its biasing means.

Another object of the invention is to provide spring urged punchreturning means for returning punches from their punching positions andto provide positive power returning means effective only when a punch isnot returned under the influence of its spring means.

A feature of the invention is the provision of selectively settable codebar extensions for selectively blocking move- 3,145,921 Patented Aug.25, 1964 ment of code bar sensing means from latching engagement withbiased latch pawls whereby upon actuation of the code bar sensing meansonly those pawls not blocked from latching engagement with theirassociated code bar sensing means actuate their respective punches.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention permutative telegraphsignals are received in the selector mechanism of the telegraph pageprinter to which the perforator is attached and cause the selectiveoperation of code bars within the telegraph page printer. Code barextensions attached to and selectively movable by the code bars of thetelegraph printer furnish an encoded input to the perforator. Aplurality of sensing levers are releasable for pivotal movement byupward movement of a bail and those of the sensing levers which are notblocked for movement by a tine on a code bar extension move intolatching engagement with spring urged latch pawls associated therewith.When the bail moves downwardly, it rotates the sensing levers and drivesthose sensing levers latched to a pawl to pivot punch pin actuatinglevers that in turn reciprocate punches to perforate a recording medium.When the punches have reached the maximum extent of their reciprocationin one direction, the bail begins its return upward movement and astripper bail becomes effective to strip the latched pawls from latchingengagement with the sensing levers.

The punches and their actuating levers are normally spring biased toreturn from the punching position. However, if this biasing force andthe force applied by the stripper bail is insufiicient to return a punchpin from its punching position, the bail on its return stroke engages acarnming surface on the latching pawl to positively drive the connectedpunch pin actuating lever and punch from the punching position.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to thefollowing detailed description when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tape perforator shown attached to aprinting telegraph page printer according to the preferred embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational View of the tape perforator taken alongline 2-2 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows, with a portion of thecover removed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, in thedirection of the arrows, with the cover broken away;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 inthe direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a code bar and of code bar extensionstaken substantially along line 5-'5 of FIG. 3 in the direction of thearrows;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of knurled tape feeding rollers for advancingtape through the perforator;

FIG. 7 is a sectional View taken along the line 77 of FIG. 3 in thedirection of the arrows showing the stripping bail and latch pawl intheir latched position, and

FIG. 8 is a top View taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 3 to show the tapeguide.

The tape perforator hereinafter described is primarily adapted for usewith the page printer described in the copending application of W. J.Zenner, Serial No. 159,330 filed December 14, 1961. However, theperforator could readily be adapted for independent use as will bebrought out hereinafter. As shown in FIG. 1 the tape perforator 1i andits cover 11 (FIG. 3) extend outwardly of the left side wall of the pageprinter shown in the aforementioned copending application of W. I.Zenner. A roll of recording medium 12, preferably, paper tape, iscarried in the rear portion of the tape perforator 10 and has itsleading edge threaded through the perforating mechanism and outwardly toa tape reader 13 attached to the front left side of the page printer.

The tape perforator is of cantilever construction in that it isconstructed for attachment to the side of the page printer. As shown inFIG. 2, a pair of posts 14 and 15 are secured to the left side wall andframe member 18 of the page printer 16 and support a main cast framemember 17 of the perforator at their outer ends. The frame member 17 ofthe perforator is a one-piece casting on which are journalled or securedall of the main supporting posts for the various parts of theperforating mecha nism as will be brought out more fully hereinafter.

The tape perforator is a readily attachable and detachable unit oraccessory to the page printer inasmuch as only code bar extensions 20(FIG. 5) and a main power shaft 21 (FIG. 3) need be interconnected tothe operating mechanism of the page printer. More specifically, the codebar extensions 20 have pins 22 at their outer extremities which snapinto forks 23, which have been formed on the left ends of the code bars137, shown in FIG. of the aforementioned copending application of W. J.Zenner. The main power shaft 21 is secured by suitable means (not shown)to the function shaft 325 (shown in said application) of the pageprinter and rotates with the function shaft 325 so as to provide theproper timing relationship between the selective actuation of the codebar extensions and the driving of the perforating mechanism by the powershaft 21.

In the aforementioned copending application, operation of the keyboard32 of the page printer closes electrical contacts which furnishelectrical signal inputs to a selector mechanism 31 that controls theprinting mechanism 34. Also, incoming telegraph signals that aregenerated at a remote station furnish electrical signal inputs to theselector mechanism 31 to control the printing mechanism 34 in the pageprinter 16. Since the selector mechanism 31 in the page printer 16operates its code bars 137 to position the printing mechanism 34 inresponse to both local operation from the keyboard 32 and remoteoperation from incoming telegraph signals, the tape perforator 10, ofthis application which receives its input from the code bars 137 by wayof code bar extensions 20, also can be operated in response to eitheroperation of the local keyboard 32 of the page printer 16 or in responseto remotely generated telegraph signals.

Returning now to FIG. 5, the code bars 137 of the telegraph page printerare articulated by forks 23 to the pins 22 on the code bar extensions 20which extensions are biased to the right by contractile springs 24. Asshown in FIG. 15 of the aforementioned copending application, the codebars 137 are spring urged in the same direction as are the code barextensions 20 in FIG. 5 of this disclosure and are permutativelyreleased for movement in this direction by code transfer arms 117.

As seen in FIG. 5 of this application the code bar extensions 20 aresupported for slidable movement by an upstanding guide 25 having a slottherein for each of the code bar extensions 20 and a central bar 26 forsupporting and guiding fingers 27 formed on the left portions of thecode bar extensions 20. The upstanding guide 26 is attached by asuitable fastening element to the frame member 17. As viewed in FIG. 5the right ends 28 of the code bar extensions 20 are forked and areguided in a' bracket 29 that is secured to a post 30 as shown in FIG. 2.A laterally extending portion 40 of the bracket 29 has grooves thereinto which one end of each of the contractile springs 24 is hooked. Asclearly shown in FIG. 3, eight code bar extensions 20 are provided forthe presently used eight level code, there being one code bar normallyfor each level of the code, and hence eight contractile springs 24 areattached to the laterally extending portion 40 of bracket 29.

. While the code bar extensions 20 have been shown as being selectivelymovable by the code bars 137 of the page printer, it should berecognized that alternative control means could be used to move the codebar extensions 20, e.g., a magnet controlled mechanism for each code barextension 20 or a single magnet selector mechanism such as shown in thepage printer of the cited Zenner application. Also, a separate motor andclutch could be provided to operate the main power shaft 21. Theperforator could be thus adapted to function as an independent unitexclusive of a page printer.

Each of the code bar extensions 20 has a single downwardly extendingtine 41 permutatively located thereon for selectively blocking orselectively releasing a single associated code bar sensing lever 42.That is, each code bar sensing lever 42 is associated with one of thecode bar extensions 20 and each of the code bar extensions 20 has onlyone tine 41 thereon for engaging an upwardly extending tine 43 on itsassociated code bar sensing lever 42. The tines 41 on the code barextensions 20 are so arranged that when all of the code bar extensions20 are in their non-released position, shown in FIG. 5, they are matchedwith the upward time 43 of their associated code sensing levers 42.Conversely, upon movement of a code bar extension 20 to the right inFIG. 5, its associated code bar sensing lever 42, that was formerlyblocked by a tine 41, is no longer blocked by that tine 41.

The sensing levers 42 have their right ends bifurcated to form springfingers 44 (FIG. 3) for encircling and for pivotal attachment to a shaft45 secured to the frame member 17. The opposite ends of the code barsensing levers 42 have upturned members 46 formed on them for guidancewithin a reduced portion formed by annular grooves in a post 47. Theannular grooves in the lateral post 47 provide guiding shoulders toprevent movement of the code bar sensing levers 42 as they pivot abouttheir supporting shaft 45. Each of the code bar sensing levers 42 isurged upwardly by a contractile spring 48 individual to it and securedbetween a book 49 on a core bar sensing lever and a hook 50 carried on adependent arm 51 of a punch actuating lever 55. A driving bail 56 ispositioned for engagement with upstanding driving lugs 57 on each of thecode bar sensing levers 42 and retains the code bar sensing levers 42 intheir normal inactive positions against the upward and clockwise bias oftheir respective contractile springs 48 as seen in FIG. 3. The drivingbail 56 is carried by a pair of spaced bail arms 58 and 59 secured to arotatable shaft 60 journaled in frame member 17.

As best seen in FIG. 4, bail arm 59 has secured at its upper extremity adriving pin 61 which is encircled in driving engagement by an open fork62 on the end of a driving link 63. A spring 64 normally urges the openfork 62 into driving engagement with the driving pin 61 whereby theoscillatory movement of the main power shaft 21 is transmitted by adriving arm 65 on shaft 21 to driving link 63 and in turn to the drivingpin 61.

During a clockwise oscillation of the main power shaft 21 and drivingarm 65 as seen in FIG. 4, link 63 moves to the right and rotates thebail arms 58 and 59 and the driving bail 56 carried therebetween in aclockwise direction. As seen in FIG. 4, a clockwise rotation of thedriving bail 56 will move the driving bail 56 upwardly from engagementwith the driving lugs 57 on the code bar sensing levers 42 and thuspermit the code bar sensing levers 42 to rotate counterclockwise (FIG.4) under the urging of their respective contractile springs 48. Those ofthe code bar sensing levers 42 that have not been selected will rotateonly slightly in the counterclockwise direction before their upstandingtines 43 will engage a downwardly extending tine 41 carried by a codebar extension 20. However, those code bar sensing levers 42 associatedwith code bar extensions 20 that do not have a tine 43 matched with atine 41 will be permitted to rotate further in a counterclockwisedirection.

Each of the code bar sensing levers 42 has an upwardly directed memberhaving a vertical face 71 in engagement with an opposed vertical face 72on a depending latch pawl 73. A latch pawl 73 is associated with each ofthe code bar sensing levers 42 and, upon suflicient upward movement of asensing lever 42, a horizontal latching surface '74 (FIG. 4) on theassociated latching pawl 73 is adapted to snap under a horizontallatching shoulder 75 on the vertical member 7d of a code bar sensinglever 42. The vertical face 72 of the latch pawl 73 is biased intosliding engagement with the vertical face 71 on its code bar sensinglever t2 by a contractile spring 76 hooked to the middle of the latchingpawl 73 and tending to rotate the latching pawl 73 in a clockwisedirection about its articulate connection 77 with a punch pin actuatinglever 55.

After the horizontal latching surface 74 has engaged the horizontallatching shoulder 75 on the code bar sensing lever 42, the driving bail56 will reverse its direction of movement and begin its downward drivingmovement (in the counterclockwise direction in PEG. 4) and will engagethe driving lugs 57 on the selected code bar sensing levers 42 and drivethem downwardly along with their latched pawls 7S. Downward movement ofa latch pawl 73, as shown in FIG. 4, will pivot its associated punch pinactuating lever 55 clockwise about its pivot supporting post 89 andcause forward end 81 of the punch pin actuating lever 55 to move upwardwhich, in turn, will drive an attached punch pin 82 upwardly toperforate the record medium. The punch pins 82 are guided forreciprocation at their upper and lower ends by guiding holes 83 and 84in a punch block 83 and when they perforate the record medium extendinto an upper die block 85. Attached to the die block 85 and is a chador chip disposal collecting trough 86 (FIG. 3) for collecting andconveying chad through a chute 87 outwardly of the cover 11 of the tapeperforator.

After perforating the record medium, the driving bail 56 arrives at itsmost downward position, hereinafter called its driving position, andwill move upward immediately thereafter as the driving shaft 21 changesits direction of rotation from counterclockwise to clockwise rotation asseen in FIG. 4. Coaxial with the driving pin 61 and mounted on the bailarms 58 and 59 is an upper supporting shaft 99, KG. 7, upon which isrotatably mounted a pair of spaced stripper bail arms 91 and 93 betweenwhich arms extends a stripper bail 97;. A contractile spring 99 isattached to stripper bail arm 93 and a spring hanger 195 and biases thestripper bail 92 upwardly as seen in FIG. 3 (clockwise as seen in FIG.7). The stripper bail arms 91 and 93 extend downwardly at an obliqueangle and the stripper bail 9?. is disposed for movement either into thelarge notched area 97 on the latch pawls 73 during its initial movementand for movement into engagement with stripping notches 95 on the latchpawls 73 during its stripping movement. As the main power shaft 21reverses its direction of rotation and moves the driving bail dupwardly, the stripper bail arms 91 and 93, which are pivotally attachedto a shaft 9% on the driving bail arms 58 and 59, also move upwardly topresent the stripper bail 92 for stripping engagement with notches 95 onthe latch pawls 73. The stripping bail 92 functions to both unlatch thelatching surfaces 74 of the laething pawls 73 from latching engagementwith latching shoulders 75 on code bars 42 and to exert an upward forceon latch pawls 73 tending to return the punch pins 32. That is, becauseof the generally circular movement of stripping bail 92 about the shaft69, the stripping bail 92 applies a force having a horizontal cam to thelatching pawls 73 for moving the latching surfaces 74 of latching pawls73 from latching engagement with the latching shoulders 75 on the codebar sensing bails 42 and having a vertical component for lifting thelatch pawls 73 upwardly and thereby rotating punch pin actuating levers55 about shaft 89.

Additionally, springs 48 and 76 are stretched and are exerting a forceon punching pin actuating levers 55 urging them to rotate in thecounterclockwise direction. Accordingly, as soon as the latchingconnections are broken, the latching pawls 73 will move upward becauseof the upward forces directed upon them by the stripping bail 92 and thecontractile springs 48 and 76. So long as the latch connections arestill effective, upward acceleration of the latch pawls 73 under thesecombined forces is not possible and the latch pawls 73 rate of movementis limited to the rate of upward movement of the drive bail 56, but oncethe latch pawls 73 are unlatched from their associated code bar sensinglevers 42, they are no longer restricted to moving upward at the samerate as the driving bail 56. Hence, upon the breaking of the latchingengagement of a pawl 73 and an associated code bar sensing lever 42,contractile spring 48 causes latching lever 73 to move rapidly upwardly.During this upward movement, contractile springs 76 urge the verticalfaces 72 of the latching pawls 73 into sliding engagement with thevertical faces 71 on the upstanding members 70 of code bar sensinglevers 42.

The stripping bail 92 is not fixedly secured to the shaft 96 but isrotatably'mounted on the shaft 99 and is biased by a spring 99 intoengagement with the notches on the latch pawls 73.

As the stripping bail 92 moves into the stop position, it engages acamming shoe bracket 94 and its continued generally circular movementabout shaft 69 is prevented by the camming shoe bracket 94. While thestripping bail 92 is in engagement with the camming shoe bracket 94, itsmovement is substantially horizontal and within an open slot area 97 onlatch pawls 73 and it stretches its spring as it moves horizontally. Thepunch pins 82 should normally return under the combined forces of thestripper bail 92, and contractile springs 48 and 76 acting on the punchpin actuating levers 55. However, if the punch pin 82 has not returnedunder these combined impositive forces, the driving bail 56 will becomeeffective to engage a sloping cam surface 96 on the latch pawl 73associated with the stuck punch pin 82. That is, as the driving bail 56moves in the counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 3, from itslowermost driving position to its normal stop position, it will engagethe sloping cam surface 96 of those latch pawls 73 connected to punchpins 82 which were not retracted by the impositive spring forces andwill force these latch pawls 73 upwardly thereby pivoting the attachedpunch pin actuating levers 55 to positively return the sticking punchpins 82 from the punching position. It should be noted that the drivingbail 56 will engage sloping cam surface 96 of a latch pawl 73 only whena punch pin is not returned under the combined impositive forces of thesprings 76 and 43, and hence no wear occurs on any cam surface 96 unlessa punch pin associated with a latch pawl 73 is sticking and is beingreturned by the bail 56.

The tape feeding operation occurs before the punching operation and, infact, takes place as the latch pawls 73 are being selectively latchedduring the clockwise rotation (FIG. 3) of the driving bail 56 and hailarms 58 and 59 from their stop positions. The tape is fed through thetape perforator 10 by rotating a lower tape feeding wheel 1% (FIG. 6)fixedly secured on a rotatable shaft 103 journaled in frame member 17.Feed wheel 1% rotates conjointly with a ratchet wheel 161 secured to theextremity of shaft 103.

A feed pawl 192 (FIG. 3) is pivotally mounted on bail arm 53 by anadjustable pivot pin 104 and is biased upwardly by a spring 199 attachedto the midpoint of feed pawl 102 and attached to a spring hanger 105that is secured by a fastener to a post attached to frame member 17.Spring 199 biases a sloping cam surface 98 on pawl 192 into slidingcontact with pivot shaft 80 and biases the pawl 192 to present its rakedtooth 196 for driving engagement with the teeth on ratchet wheel 101.

A detent roller 197 (FIG. 4) is carried on an arm of a bell crank lever198 pivoted on shaft 39 and is biased into engagement with the teeth ofratchet wheel 101 for yieldingly holding the ratchet wheel 101 againstmovement when the feed pawl 102 is disengaged from the teeth on theratchet wheel 101. That is, the bell crank lever 108 is pivoted in theclockwise direction (FIG. 4) against the urging of its spring 110 by theteeth of the ratchet wheel 101 during a tape feeding operation.

As best seen in FIG. 6, the ratchet wheel 101 drives the lower feedroller 100 that cooperates with an upper pressure roller 112 having acentral knurled surface 113 for pressing the tape into knurled teeth 114formed in the center of feed roller 100. The knurled teeth 114 of thelower feed wheel 100 are approximately fifteen thousandths of an inch inwidth and the knurled teeth 113 of pressure roller 112 are approximatelythirty to fifty thousandths of an inch in width.

When feeding a recording medium for a perforating mechanism, it isnecessary to provide accurate increments of feeding so that thesuccessive characters perforated in a tape are accurately spaced fromeach other in order that they can be properly read by another machine.Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate any slippage between the feedingwheel 100 and the pressure roller 112 during a feeding operation. Sincethe knurled teeth 113 and 114 are of such small dimensions, the forceneeded to be applied to upper pressure roller 112 can be greatly reducedfrom that which would be necessary if the teeth were of largerdimension.

As shown in FIG. 4 a small spring 115 supplies the spring forcenecessary to urge a record guide 124 about a supporting shaft 118therefore journaled in frame member 17. Record guide 124 has a pair ofspaced guide members 117 between which is journaled a supporting shaft119 for pressure roller 112. The spring 115 exerts suliicient forcethrough record guide 124 to cause the knurled teeth 113 of the pressureroller to slightly pierce and indent the recording medium as it pressesthe recording medium downwardly into the knurled teeth 114 of the feedwheel 100.

As seen in FIG. 4 the record medium is guided to the feed and pressurerollers by means of a rotatable guiding roller 120 mounted between thepair of spaced record guiding members 117 and a fiat lower tape guide121 that is loosely held by tabs sliding in slots (not shown) in thelower portions of the record guiding members 117. The side edges of therecording medium are guided by the spaced guiding members 117. Therecord guide 124 is slidably mounted on shaft 118 for axial slidingmovement as well as for rotational movement, and is urged by acompression spring 125 (FIG. 8) against a stop 123 on the shaft 118.With the record guide 124 against the stop 123, the record guide 124 isaligned with the tape opening between the punch block 88 and die block85.

The tape guide 121 has a slot 122 (FIGS. 4 and 8) through which canproject a record medium engaging shoe 126 on a tape nudge lever 127pivoted on a shaft 127-A. The tape nudger lever 127 has a cam followerpin 128 in engagement with a cam slot 129. The function of the tapenudger lever 127 is to pull a loop of tape from the roll of tape 12 sothat the tape feed wheel 100 need only exert sufficient force on thetape to reduce the loop of tape formed by the tape nudger lever 127 andneed not exert a pull on the tape sutficient to pull an increment oftape from the roll of tape 12.

The tape nudger lever 127 pulls an increment of tape from a roll of tapeonce in each cycle during the feed hole punching operation. The timingis such that the selected punch pins 82 and the feed hole punch pin 82,which punches every cycle, extend through the record medium and into thedie block 85 at the time that the tape nudger lever 127 is looping thetape. Since a feed hole punch pin is invariably actuated during eachcycle of the perforator and hence will be extending through the tape andsince the feed roller 100 is stationary, the forward end of the recordmedium will be held stationary and the rearward portion of the recordmedium must move and draw the necessary length of the record medium fromthe roll 12.

The cam slot 129, is in an extension 130 of bail arm 59 and hence theextension 130 partakes of the same oscillatory movement as the bail arm59. The cam slot 129 is so constituted that the tape nudger lever 127 isrotated to bring its shoe 126 up through the slot 122 in tape guide 121when the punch pins 82 are in the tape and the driving bail 59 is in itsdownward driving position. Return movement of the bail arm 59 and drivebail 56 is accompanied by the cam slot 129 rotating the nudger lever 127to remove the shoe 126 downwardly through the slot 122 in the tape guide121.

In normal practice, the operator will want to pull an additional lengthof tape through the punch and die blocks when the operator is removing aperforated mes sage tape from the perforator 10, particularly since thelast character perforated is still within the perforator cover 11 andsince the operator normally tears the tape so as to leave anunperforated trailing end on a message tape.

Accordingly, when an operator desires to remove a length of tape that iswithin the perforator, the operator need only depress a push button 131(FIG. 3) extending through the cover 11 and simultaneously pull the tapeforward through the perforator 10. Depression of the push button 131will separate pressure roller 112 from feed roller 100 and thus removethis resistance to movement of tape through the perforator 10. The pushbutton 131 is carried on a bracket 132. The bracket 132 is secured by afastener 133 to a boss 137 on the cover 11 and has apertures therein forguiding the lower portion of a push button plunger 134. A compressionspring 135 encircles the lower portion of the push button plunger 134and is spaced between a collar 136 on the push button and bracket 132.As seen in FIG. 3 the lower end of the plunger 134 of push button 131 isheld spaced from a horizontal tab 138 secured on an upward projection onrecord guiding member 117. The plunger 134 is operable upon thedepression of push button 131 to engage tab 138 and pivot the recordguide 124 about its pivot shaft 118 thereby raising the pressure roller112 from engagement with the tape. The tape is now free to be pulledthrough the perforator. After the push button 131 is released, spring115 (FIG. 4) will pivot the record guide 124 and the pressure roller 112carried therewith in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4,to press the knurled teeth 114 of the pressure roller 112 into therecord medium and between the opposite teeth 114 on the feed wheel 100.

A similarly constructed backspace push button 141 is positioned next tothe push button 131 and has a plunger 134 for movement into engagementwith a horizontal tab 142 carried on a back spacing lever 143 which ispivoted on a pin 144 and biased about pin 144 in a clockwise directionby a spring 145 that is secured between a hook on the backspace lever143 and a hook 146 on spring hanger 105. Pin 144 is carried on an arm147 of a bell crank lever 148 pivotally mounted on shaft 103.

Backspace lever 143 has an interior cam surface 149 that engages anoutward extension of the stationary shaft 118. Interior cam surface 149controls the path of movement of backspace lever 143 as it slides alongshaft 118. As may be seen by reference to FIG. 3, the path of backspacelever 143 is generally in a downward direction and thus causes bellcrank 148 to be rotated in a counterclockwise (FIG. 3) directionwhereupon arm 150 of the bell crank 148 brings its turned extremity 151into engagement with a finger 152 on the feed pawl 102.

As the backspace lever 143 moves downwardly and the turned extremity 151of the bell crank arm 150 moves the tooth 106 on pawl 102 fromengagement with the teeth of feed wheel 100, a downward extension 153 ofthe backspace lever 143 moves a foot 154 into engagement with the top ofone of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 101. The interior cam surface 149is so curved that further downward movement of the backspace lever 143permits a slight counterclockwise rotation of the backspace lever 143about pin 144, during which rotation, the foot 154 cams ratchet wheel100 one tooth in the counterclockwise direction and detent roller 107snaps into engagement a different tooth. Thus, for each depression andrelease of push button 141 one step of movement is imparted to the tapein the reverse direction.

Referring now to FIG. 4 there is shown a pair of push buttons 16% and161 that control the operation of the tape perforator 10. The pushbutton 160 is the perforator ON button since depression thereof resultsin the coupling of the power drive to the punch actuating mechanisms,and push button 161 is the perforator OFF button since depressionthereof results in the disabling of the power operation of the punchactuating mechanism. Push buttons 160 and 161 extend through the cover11 next to push buttons 131 and 141 and are of similar construction.

Situated beneath the push buttons 160 and 161 are arms 163 and 162respectively of a lever 164 pivotally supported on a shaft 165 securedto the main frame 17. Downward movement of the push button 166 willengage its plunger with the arm 163 of the lever 164 and will pivotlever 164 in a clockwise direction about shaft 165 and arm 163 in turnwill push a link 166 attached thereto in a downward direction. Attachedto the opposite end of the link 166 is a locking lever 167 pivotallysupported on a post 168. As seen in FIG. 4, the downward movement of thelink 166 moves locking lever 167 to bring a slot 169 in it, intoencircling engagement with driving pin 61 on the bail arm 59.Simultaneously with the positioning of the slot 169 over the driving pin61, a roller 176 on the opposite extremity of locking lever 167 engagesand moves driving link 63 against the bias of spring 64 to disengage theopen fork 62 from driving pin 61. Thus, it should be apparent, that eventhough the page printer is oscillating the main power shaft 21 andattached driving arm 65 and drive link 63 are oscillating therewith, nomotion will be imparted to the bail arm 59 or driving bail 56 since thedriving link 63 and the driving pin 61 are disconnected.

As should be readily apparent from the foregoing downward movement ofthe OFF push button 161 will engage its plunger with the arm 162 oflever 164 and cause the lever 164- to rotate about shaft 165 and therebyraise link 166 which in turn lifts the slot 169 of the locking lever 167from the driving pin 61 and simultaneously therewith permits the openfork 62 of the driving link 63 to move into encircling engagement withthe driving pin 61. Thereafter, oscillations of the main driving shaft21, driving arm 65 and driving link 63 are effective to actuate thedriving pin 61 and attached bail arm 59 thereby actuating the selectedpunch pin actuating mechanisms.

The operation of the perforating mechanism will be briefly described toaid in the understanding of the invention.

With the record medium in the machine, depression of the start button161 pivots the lever 164 to raise its arm 163 and attached link 166 inan upward direction and simultaneously lifts the slot 169 of the lockinglever 167 from engagement with driving pin 61 and permits the open fork62 of the driving link 63 to move into contact with the driving pin 61.The oscillatory movement of main drive shaft 21 will then be transmittedthrough arm 65 and driving link 63 to the driving bail arm 59.

As the selector mechanism in the page printer receives electricalsignals and converts them into mechanical movements of the code bars 137selected ones of the code bars 137 will be moved and the code barextensions 20 will be moved from one position to another position. Thesliding movement of code bar extensions 26 repositions their downwardlyextending tines 41 so that selected ones of the code bar sensing levers42 will no longer have their upwardly extending tines 43 situated forengagement with the downwardly extending tines 41 of the code barextensions 26. The shaft 325 in the page printer of the copendingapplication operates in timed relationship to the movement of the codebars 137 of the page printer and hence the main power shaft 21 attachedto the power shaft 325 of the page printer operates in timedrelationship to the operation of the code bar extensions 26.

After movement of the selected code bar extensions 20 to their selectedpositions, the main power shaft 21 oscillates in a counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 3 and through drive link 63, driving pin 61and hail arm 59 rotates driving bail 56 counterclockwise. Thecounterclockwise movement of the driving bail 56, which is in engagementwith the driving lugs 57 of the code bar sensing levers 42, permits codebar sensing levers 42 to move in a clockwise direction about their pivotshaft 45 under the urging of their springs 48.

Those of the code bar sensing levers 42 that have tines 43 permutativelycoded so that they engage a downwardly coded tine 41 of a code barextension 20 are blocked from further upward movement by their springs48. However, those of the code bar sensing levers 42 which have tines4,3 that are not blocked by downwardly extending tines 41 of their codebar extensions 20 move farther upwardly until their horizontal latchingshoulders 75 are above the horizontal latching surfaces 74 on theirassociated latch pawls 73. Springs 76 move their latch pawls 73clockwise (FIG. 4) to snap their horizontal latching surfaces 74 underthe latching shoulders 75 of the selected code bar sensing levers 42 asthe levers 42 move upwardly. Since stripping bail 92 is in engagementwith camming shoe bracket 94, the stripper bail 92 moves horizontallywithin the open slot area 97 of the latch pawls 73 as the stripper bail92 moves with the bail arms 53 and 59 in counterclockwise direction asviewed in FIG. 3.

During this counterclockwise movement (FIG. 3) of the bail arm 58, thefeed pawl 102 pivoted thereon also moves counterclockwise and its raketooth 106 rotates the ratchet wheel one tooth and detent 167 snaps overa tooth and into detenting relationship with a following tooth onratchet wheel 161.

By the time that the main power shaft 21 and driving bail 56 havereached their optimum rotation in the counterclockwise direction as seenin FIG. 3, those of the code bar sensing levers 42 that have beenselected have latched their respective latch pawls 73 and the tape willhave been fed forward one increment.

The main power shaft 21 and driving bail 56 now begin to oscillate inthe clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 3, and the driving bail 56engages the driving lugs 57 of those of the code bar sensing levers 42,that have been selected and latched, and drives these selected code barsensing levers 42 downwardly in the counterclockwise direction abouttheir pivot shaft 45. Downward movement of those of the pawls 73 thatare latched to the code bar sensing levers 42 cause the counterclockwiserotation of their attached punch pin actuating levers 55 aboutsupporting shaft 841 and the ends 81 of punch pin actuating levers 55force the punch pins 82 upwardly through the record medium and into thedie block 85.

As the driving bail 56 is moving downwardly to this maximum clockwiseposition, i.e., the driving position, and as the punch pins 82 are beingreciprocated upwardly through the tape, feed pawl 162 moves upwardly andleftwardly (FIG. 4) as its cam surface 162 slides along post 86; and theshoe 126 of the tape nudging lever 127 engages the record medium andforms a loop in the tape as it pulls an increment of tape from the reel.

After the punching operation, main power shaft 21 reverses its directionof rotation and hail 56 moves upwardly in the counterclockwise direction(FIG. 3). At this time, the stripping bail 92 moves into engagement withthe notched surfaces 95 on the latch pawls 73 and rotates the latchpawls 73 about their articulate connections 77 with the punch pinactuating levers 55 so that their horizontal latching surfaces 74disengage from the horizontal latching shoulders '75 of the code barsensing levers 42. The latch pawls 73 move rapidly upward under thecombined influence of springs 76 and 48 acting through punch pinactuating levers 55 and stripping bail 92.

During the stripping of the latch pawls 73 from the code bar sensinglevers 42, the feed pawl 102 moves rightwardly into position immediatelybehind the next tooth on the ratchet wheel 16]. which tooth the pawl 102will engage on its next feeding stroke.

As the main driving bail 55 reaches its stop position, it comes to restand awaits receipt of the next character. The driving lugs 57 are againin engagement with driving bail 56 and the vertical surfaces 71 of thecode bar sensing levers 42 are again urged into engagement with thevertical surfaces 72 of the latch pawls 73. All of the code barextensions 20 are returned to their non-released positions and areawaiting the next character selection.

If one of the punch pins 82 is sticking in its upward position and doesnot accelerate rapidly downward when the stripping bail 92 unlatches itsassociated latch pawl 73 from the latching shoulder 75 on its associatedcode bar sensing lever 42, the stripper bail 92 will nonetheless havemoved it sufficiently leftward in FIG. 3 to place it in the path ofimmediate engagement with driving ball 56. Whereupon, the driving bail56 will engage the camming surface 96 on the latch pawl '73 and willpositively drive it upwardly and rightwardly (FIG. 3) during furthermovement of the driving bail 56. This upward movement of the latch pawl73 rotates its articulated punch pin actuating lever clockwise (FIG. 3)and pulls the sticking punch pin 82 downwardly.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that normally ineffective latchpawls 73 provide a novel selective power transmitting means and that theinclined camming surfaces 6 on these latch pawls constitute a normallynonengaged surface capable of being engaged by the driving bail 56 forreturning punch pins 82 that fail to return under spring urging forces.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawingsand described in the foregoing specification, it will be understood thatinvention is not limited to the specific embodiment described but iscapable of modification and rearrangement and substitution of parts andelements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a record perforating mechanism, a cylindrically operable powermeans, a plurality of elements permutatively movable and providing inputinformation, a plurality of sensing means individual to said elementsfor positive actuation by said power means in one portion of its cycleand releasable by said power means in another portion of its cycle tosense the position of an associated element, a latching surface on eachof said sensing means, a plurality of reciprocable punch pins forpunching a recording medium, and a plurality of latch pawls for latchingengagement with said latching surfaces on said sensing means, each ofsaid latch pawls connected to a punch pin and each imparting a force toits punch pin when latched to the latching surface on said sensingmeans.

2. In a perforating mechanism, a plurality of settable elementsselectively settable to either one of two positions, a cyclicallyoperable power bail, a plurality of sensing means released by said powerbail for movement in one direction and driven by said power bail in theopposite direction, each of said sensing means associated with asettable element and releasable during part of the cycle of said powerbail to move from an ineffective to an effective position when anassociated settable element is set in one of said two conditions, alatching surface on each of said sensing means, a plurality ofresiliently biased latching pawls, each of said latching pawlsassociated with a sensing means and biased into latching engagement withthe latching surface on an associated sensing means When said sensingmeans is in its effective position, and a plurality of punches, each ofsaid punches connected to one of said biased latching pawls andreciprocable to punch a recording medium when its latching pawl andsensing means are driven by said power bail.

3. The perforating mechanism according to claim 2 wherein there isprovided a biasing means for normally biasing a latch pawl and itsconnected punch from its record punching position, a normallyineffective camrn ng surface on each of said latch pawls for engagementwith said power bail on its return movement positively to drive thelatching pawl and connected punch when a latching pawl has not returnedfrom the punching position under the bias of said biasing means.

4. In a record punching machine, reciprocable punch pins selectivelyoperable to perforate a record medium to record information, punch pinactuating mechanisms operable to reciprocate said punch pins toperforate the record medium, power driving means for selectively drivingsaid punch pin actuating mechanisms and their punch pins to perforatethe record medium, means urging said selected punch pin actuatingmechanisms and punch pins to return from the record perforating positionto which said punch pin mechanism and said pins are driven by said powerdriving means, and means on said punch pin actuating mechanismsengageable by said power driving means to return said punch pinactuating mechanisms and said punch pins from their record perforatingpositions when said urging means is ineffective to return said punch pinactuating means and said punch pins from their record perforatingpositions.

5. In a perforating mechanism,

(a) a plurality of settable elements selectively settable to either oneof two positions representative of marking and spacing inputs,respectively,

(b) an oscillatable power bail,

(c) a plurality of sensing levers disposed at right angles to saidsettable elements and spring urged into engagement with said settableelements to sense the position of said settable elements, said sensingmeans being held from engagement with said settable elements by saidpower bail and released by said power bail for movement into sensingengagement with said settable elements as said power bail moves in onedirection and being driven by said power bail as it oscillates in theopposite direction,

(d) a vertical guiding surface on each of said sensing levers,

(e) a latching shoulder disposed on each of said sensing levers,

(f) a plurality of resiliently biased latching pawls, each of saidlatching pawls being associated with a sensing lever and resilientlybiased to present a surface thereon against the guiding surface on itsassociated sensing lever,

(g) a latching shoulder on each of said pawls for engagement with thelatching shoulder on an associated sensing lever when said lever sensesits associated settable element in said one position,

(It) a plurality of actuating levers each articulated to a latchingpawl, and

(i) a plurality of punches, each of said punches being connected to anactuating lever and reciprocated by its actuating lever to perforate arecording medium when its associated latch pawl and sensing lever arelatched and are actuated by said power bail.

6. The perforating mechanism of claim 5, wherein said actuating leversand said latching pawls are spring biased to return to the position fromwhich they are moved by said sensing levers and power bails and anormally inelfective camming surface on each of said latch pawls forengagement with said power bail to positively return the latch pawl,actuating lever and punch when said latch pawl, punch and actuatinglever have References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Arko et al Sept. 6, 1960 Perez Aug. 22, 1961 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CERHHCATE @F CORRECTION Patent No Q 3 ,l45 921 August 25,1964 Gordon Sim et ale It is hereby certified that error appears in theabove numbered patent requiring correction and that the said LettersPatent should read as corrected below.

a Column line 38, for "core" read code column 5, line 32, strike out"and"; column 11, line 56, for "cylindrie cally" read cyclically oSigned and sealed this 21st day of December 19655 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner ofPatents

1. IN A RECORD PERFORATING MECHANISM, A CYLINDRICALLY OPERABLE POWERMEANS, A PLURALITY OF ELEMENTS PERMUTATIVELY MOVABLE AND PROVIDING INPUTINFORMATION, A PLURALITY OF SENSING MEANS INDIVIDUAL TO SAID ELEMENTSFOR POSITIVE ACTUATION BY SAID POWER MEANS IN ONE PORTION OF ITS CYCLEAND RELEASABLE BY SAID POWER MEANS IN ANOTHER PORTION OF ITS CYCLE OFSENSE THE POSITION OF AN ASSOCIATED ELEMENT, A LATCHING SURFACE ON EACHOF SAID SENSING MEANS, A PLURALITY OF RECIPROCABLE PUNCH PINS FORPUNCHING A RECORDING MEDIUM, AND A PLURALITY OF LATCH PAWLS FOR LATCHINGENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LATCHING SURFACES ON SAID SENSING MEANS, EACH OFSAID LATCH PAWLS CONNECTED TO A PUNCH PIN AND EACH IMPARTING A FORCE TOITS PUNCH PIN